President Obama has appointed Rashad Hussain, a deputy White House counsel, to be his representative to the Muslim world, White House officials said Saturday. Mr. Hussain will become the special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, an intergovernmental group with 57 member states that calls itself the collective voice of Muslims.

“Appointing a special envoy to the O.I.C. is an important part of the president’s commitment to engaging Muslims around the world based on mutual respect and mutual interest,” the White House said in a statement.